Aster. COMPOSITE. 1'29 



the extreme forms. It is not unlikely that we have united two or more spe- 

 cies ; but, as we have sought in vain for any available distinctions, we are 

 compelled to arrange the principal forms as varieties. The etTects of culti- 

 vation, so far as our observation extends, appear to confirm the correctness of 

 this view. Specimens of the form we have assumed as the type of the spe- 

 cies have been compared witli the Linnasan and Banksian herbaria by Dr. 

 Boott, who considers them identical with the A. dumosus of Linnseus. 



47. A. Tradescanti (Linn.) : stem slender, often somewhat pubescent in 

 lines, much branched ; the (small) heads numerous, usually densely race- 

 mose on the erect-spreading or at length divergent virgate branches, often 

 unilateral ; leaves sessile, glabrous, with scabrous margins ; the cauline ones 

 lanceolate-linear, elongated, mucronate-acute or acuminate, remotely serrate 

 in the middle with fine and sharp teeth ; the upper and those of the branches 

 successively shorter and usually entire, mucronuiate ; those of the branchlets 

 obiong-linear, small; scales of the involucre narrowly linear, acute or acutish, 

 imbricated in 3 or 4 series, appressed ; the innermost rather shorter than the 

 disk.— I,i«n. hort. Cliff, p. 403, hort. Ups. p. 262, S^- spec. 2. p. 876 ; M'lchx. ! 

 fi. 2. p. 115; Pursh! fl. 2. p. 556; Ell. sk. 2. p. 358; Necs, Ast. p. 103; 

 Lindl. ! in herb. Torr. (not in herh. Hook.) ; DC. prodr. 5. p. 241. A. 

 Virginianus ramosissimus serotinus, parvis florilius albis, Moris, hist. 3. p. 

 121. A. vimineus, Lam. diet. 1. p. 306. A. recurvatus, Pursh, Jl. 2. p. 

 556 ? Nutt. gen. 2. p. 158 ? 



ji. fragilis : cauline leaves, except the lowermost, minutely appressed- 

 serrulate or entire, usually shorter ; heads more scattered on the branchlets. 

 —A. fragihs, Willd. spec. 3. p. 2051 ; Nees. Ast. p. 102 ; Boott ! mss. in 

 herb. Hook. ; not o[ Lindl., DC. S^v. A. muliiflorus, Nutt.! gen. 2. p. 155, 

 (excl. syn.) fide herb. A. tenuifolius, Ell. ! sk. 2. p. 347, not of Linn. 



Fields and along rivulets, in dry or rather moist soil, Massachusetts I to 

 Ohio ! Kentucky ! and Louisiana ! not uncommon. Aug.-Oct. — Stem 2-4 

 feet high, bushy ; the branches very numerous, slender, racemosely arranged 

 along the stem, or rarely somewhat corymbose or paniculate, at first often 

 erect, but at length divergent or even divaricate, bearing very numerous 

 heads on short pedicels, forming slender strict racemes, which decrease 

 gradually in size upwards; in var. j3. the racemes often more irregular, 

 looser, and more paniculate. Lower cauline leaves 3 to 4 or 5 inches long, 

 3-4 lines wide, acute at each end, more or less evidently serrate with 4-8 

 sharp scattered teeth on each margin, which when rather large are some- 

 what spreading, but when minute are closely appressed; those of the branch- 

 es and branchlets successively reduced in size. Heads smaller than in A. 

 dumosus, about as large as is ordinary in the following species. Scales of 

 the involucre fewer and narrower than in the former. Bays small, pale 

 purple or almost white ; the disk often turning purplish. Achenia closely 

 and minutely pubescent. — While this species somewhat approaches narrow- 

 leaved forms of the following ; some states of var. (i. having fewer, and con- 

 sequently larger and more scattered heads, considerably resemble forms of A. 

 dumosus, particularly the doubtful var. subracemosus, which should perhaps 

 be referred to the present species. — A very diiferent plant, with much larger 

 heads, is frequently cultivated in the European gardens under the name of 

 A. Tradescanti. 



48. A. miser (Linn. ? Ait.): stem mostly pubescent or hairy (often in 

 lines), racemosely branched or compound ; the numerous heads racemose 

 along the spreading or divaricate branches ; leaves lanceolate or oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, sessile, attenuate or acuminate at each end, sharply serrate in the 

 middle; the radical ones spatulatc-lanceolate or oval, tapering into a petiole; 

 those of the branches and branchlets successively smaller, and often entire ; 

 scales of the involucre linear, imbricated in 3 or 4 series (the exterior much 



VOL. 11.-17 



